Joel David Zelkowitz

Joel David Zelkowitz

5.0
Rating: 7.9

Licensed for 12 years

Insurance Lawyer at New York, NY
Practice Areas: Insurance, Employee Benefits, Litigation

110 E. 42 St., Suite 1418, New York, NY

About Joel

Biography

Practice Areas

Fees and Rates

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Licenses

Licensed in New York for 8 years

State: New York

Acquired: 2018

Due to Reregister within 30 days of Birthday

No misconduct found

Licensed in New Jersey for 12 years

State: New Jersey

Acquired: 2014

Active

No misconduct found

Licensed in Pennsylvania for 12 years

State: Pennsylvania

Acquired: 2014

Active

No misconduct found

Location

Riemer Hess LLC

110 E. 42 St., Suite 1418, New York, NY, 10017

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Joel David Zelkowitz's Reviews

Avvo Review Score

5.0 /5.0

12 Client Reviews

Filter Avvo Reviews (12) Refine reviews to match your needs. Use the filters to quickly surface reviews that align with your case or priorities.
Star rating
5 stars 12
4 stars 0
3 stars 0
2 stars 0
1 star 0
Practice Areas

Showing 1 - 5 of 12 reviews

Posted by Peter | July 02, 2026 | Hired Attorney

passion

Joel works hard in my favor and is always compassionate in meeting to discuss my case

Posted by Keith | June 16, 2026 | Hired Attorney

Great Lawyer/Highly Recommended

I highly recommend Joel for anyone dealing with a disability insurance claim. Throughout my case. He was knowledgeable, responsive, and professional, taking the time to explain each step of the process and advocate on my behalf. Thanks to his expertise and dedication, I felt confident that my case wa...s being handled properly. I am very grateful for the support and guidance provided and would not hesitate to recommend Joel to others facing similar challenges.

Posted by Alfredo | June 12, 2026 | Hired Attorney

review

I have worked with Joel for over a decade. During that time, he has been not only an outstanding professional but also a compassionate and caring human being, especially as I went through some very difficult periods in my life. What sets Joel apart is that he genuinely cares about the people he se...rves—something incredibly important in the field of disability law. He is always available, responsive, and willing to take the time to answer questions and provide guidance. His expertise, dedication, and humanity have made a tremendous difference in my life. It has truly been a blessing to work with him, and I recommend him without hesitation.

Posted by anonymous | June 06, 2026 | Hired Attorney

Best decision for my case was choosing Joel

Joel was wonderful to work with though an especially difficult time in my life. He was very kind and empathetic towards me while making it very clear he was fighting for my rights. He is very conscious of my cost/time helping me make informed decisions on how to proceed with my case. Throughout the a...lmost 3 years Joel was reliable and I never once doubted he would do everything in his power to get me what I was owed in my disability claim. He is well versed on the ins and outs of disability claims and was honest in letting me know what he thought my chances were of winning. I highly recommend Joel to anyone going through disability/insurance issues. Hopefully, I will not need to use his services again but if I did I would not want to work with anyone besides Joel. Thank you!

Posted by anonymous | March 06, 2026 | Hired Attorney

Professional, Compassionate, and Truly Effective Lawyer I highly recommend to anyone in search of legal counsel

I cannot say enough good things about Joel Zelkowitz who represented me in my disability case. From the very beginning, he treated me with patience, respect, and genuine compassion during what was a very stressful and uncertain time in my life. I had consulted an attorney prior to contacting Joel and... it was a disaster to say the least. The attorney didn’t want to hear the details about my condition and my concerns. I felt hopeless and discouraged until I contacted Joel. From my first conversation with him I knew I was in the right hands and felt confident about my case for the first time. He buoyed my confidence and gave me the support I needed to see this process to its successful conclusion. He took the time to clearly explain every step of the process, answered all of my questions, and made sure I understood what to expect. His knowledge of disability law and attention to detail gave me a lot of confidence that my case was in the right hands. What impressed me most was his dedication. He worked hard to gather the necessary medical evidence, prepared me thoroughly, and always stayed on top of deadlines and paperwork. I never felt like just another case — he truly cared about helping me receive the benefits I deserved. Thanks to his expertise and persistence, my disability claim was successful, and I am incredibly grateful for his support and guidance throughout the entire process. After winning my disability case he was as excited with the successful results as I was. I’ve used other lawyers in the past and none of them can compare to the expertise and compassion I experienced with Joel. If you are looking for a knowledgeable, professional, and compassionate attorney, I would highly recommend him to anyone who needs help navigating the legal process.

See All Client Reviews

Joel David Zelkowitz's Lawyer Endorsements

Endorse Joel
Ryan James McIntyre headshot
Ryan McIntyre

Employee benefits lawyer | Jun 05

Relationship: Worked together on matter

"I have had the pleasure of working with Joel on multiple ERISA long term disability matters. He is also well versed in individual disability insurance policies and long term care policies. Joel is incredibly knowledgeable in these areas of law and works tirelessly to ensure that his clients are paid what they are owed under their insurance policies."

Jennifer B. Manger headshot
Jennifer Manger

Employee benefits lawyer | Jun 04

Relationship: Co-worker

"I have had the privilege of working with Joel on several ERISA long-term disability cases, including highly complex litigation matters. He consistently brings thoughtful analysis, strategic insight, and a deep understanding of ERISA law to every case. Equally impressive is his ability to communicate effectively with clients. He explains complicated legal concepts clearly and handles sensitive discussions with compassion, kindness, and respect. His professionalism and client-centered approach make him an exceptional advocate and colleague."

Samantha E Wladich headshot
Samantha Wladich

Employee benefits lawyer | Jun 03

Relationship: Co-worker

"I have had the opportunity to work with Joel on several long-term disability cases. He is very knowledgeable in this area of law, responsive to clients' needs, and committed to achieving positive outcomes. His professionalism and practical approach make him a pleasure to work with and a valuable resource for individuals facing disability insurance challenges."

Paul Michael Kampfer headshot
Paul Kampfer

Employee benefits lawyer | Mar 03

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I have had the pleasure of knowing Joel for a number of years. Like myself, Joel practices Long-Term Disability Insurance Law (among other things). We routinely discuss cases and bounce ideas off of one another. I have found that Joel consistently demonstrates strong insight into the law, excellent judgment, and a thorough understanding of both legal strategy and client needs. He is a dedicated and effective advocate for his clients."

Jennifer Hess headshot
Jennifer Hess

Employee benefits lawyer | Feb 25

Relationship: Worked together on matter

"I had the opportunity to work with Joel Zelkowitz as co-counsel on a challenging ERISA disability case, and together we achieved an excellent result for our client. Joel is thoughtful, strategic, and highly effective in his approach. He understands both the legal framework and the practical realities of disability claims and litigation. I have known Joel for approximately eight years, and throughout that time he has consistently demonstrated professionalism, sound judgment, and strong advocacy skills. He is well respected in the ERISA and individual disability insurance space for good reason. Joel is someone I would confidently work with again and recommend to clients and colleagues alike."

View All Endorsements
Paul Michael Kampfer headshot
Paul Kampfer

Insurance lawyer

Jennifer Hess headshot
Jennifer Hess

Insurance lawyer

Experience

Rating:  7.9 (Very Good)

Work Experience

2026 - Present

Partner, Riemer Hess LCC

2016 - 2026

Attorney, Usher, Quiat, Uscher & Russo, P.C.

Sample of Legal Cases

Choi v. Unum Life Ins. Co. of Am., CV 24-06338-JKS-AME

Scholz v. Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, 1:19-cv-00558-CM

BRUDIE et al v. UNITED AIRLINES HOLDINGS, INC. et al, 1:23-cv-02168-CPO-AMD

MOGERMAN v. NEW ENGLAND LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY et al., 1:23-cv-02168-CPO-AMD

CULLINANE v. USABLE LIFE, 2:25-cv-12173-ES-MAH

See More Legal Cases

Education

2013

Temple University Beasley School of Law

J.D.

Publications

Languages

English

Activity

Avvo Rating

Our Rating is calculated using information the lawyer has included on their profile in addition to the information we collect from state bar associations and other organizations that license legal professionals. Attorneys who claim their profiles and provide Avvo with more information tend to have a higher rating than those who do not.

What determines Avvo Rating?
  • Experience & background Years licensed, work experience, education
  • Legal community recognition Peer endorsements, associations, awards
  • Legal thought leadership Publications, speaking engagements
  • Discipline Disciplinary information may not be comprehensive, or updated. We recommend that you always check a lawyer's disciplinary status with their respective state bar association before hiring them.
Avvo Rating Levels
10.0 - 9.0 Superb8.9 - 8.0 Excellent7.9 - 7.0 Very Good6.9 - 6.0 Good5.9 - 5.0 Average4.9 - 4.0 Concern3.9 - 3.0 Caution2.9 - 2.0 Strong Caution1.9 - 1.0 Extreme Caution